Archaeological Monitoring in the Streets of Musselburgh: Recent Discoveries
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Archaeological monitoring in the streets of Musselburgh: recent discoveries by Michael Kimber with a contribution by Julie Franklin and illustrations by Elin Evertsson and Anna Faras Pagowska Headland Archaeology Ltd, 13 Jane St, Edinburgh EH6 5HE Scottish Archaeological Internet Report [30], 2009 www.sair.org.uk Published by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, www.socantscot.org.uk with Historic Scotland, www.historic-scotland.gov.uk and the Council for British Archaeology, www.britarch.ac.uk Editor Helen Bleck Produced by Archetype Information Technology Ltd, www.archetype-it.com ISBN: 978 09039 0399 8 ISSN: 1473-3803 Requests for permission to reproduce material from a SAIR report should be sent to the Director of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, as well as to the author, illustrator, photographer or other copyright holder. 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CONTENTS 1 Abstract . 1 2 Introduction. 2 3 Historical background. 4 3.1 Roman Inveresk . 4 3.2 The medieval period and later . 4 3.2.1 Morphology of the burgh. .4 4 Summary of key results. 8 4.1 Interventions around known sites . 8 4.1.1 The vicus . 8 4.1.2 The Newbigging pottery. 9 4.1.3 The mill lade . .9 5 Distribution of archaeological deposits. .12 5.1 Musselburgh: High street, Millhill, Kerr’s Wynd, Mansfield Avenue, Kilwinning Place, newbigging . 12 5.2 Fisherrow: north High street, Market street, Bridge street. 12 6 Artefacts and their distribution (Julie Franklin) . .14 6.1 Roman finds. 14 6.2 Medieval and post-medieval finds. 14 7 Discussion and interpretation . 15 7.1 The archaeology of Musselburgh. 15 7.1.1 Distribution of deposits . 15 7.1.2 Medieval Musselburgh. 15 7.1.3 Fisherrow. .15 7.2 Pipeline transects in historic burghs . 15 7.2.1 Reasons for variation – population and development. 16 7.2.2 Reasons for variation – geography. 16 8 Conclusion. 17 9 References. 18 iii LIst oF ILLUSTRATIONS 1 Location of monitored interventions . 3 2 The development of Musselburgh from 1682–1816. .5 3 Musselburgh in the 1850s (Source: ordnance survey 1854 sheets III & VII). 6 4 Section of Roman ditch on Inveresk Brae. 8 5 Location of key sites and archaeological deposits . 10 6 Sherd of samian ware recovered from T200/012. 14 iv LIst oF TABLES 1 Distribution of archaeological deposits: Musselburgh . 13 2 Distribution of archaeological deposits: Fisherrow. 13 v 1 ABSTRACT Archaeological monitoring of water mains renewal expected, they were fragmentary in comparison with in Musselburgh has provided new information on similar deposits from pipeline monitoring schemes the medieval and post-medieval development of the in Perth, North Berwick and Crail. The data from burgh, as well as adding to known information on Musselburgh are in part less coherent due to the the vicus of the Roman fort, the Newbigging pottery kinds of work monitored within the burgh core, but and the town mill lade. Activity associated with the it is probable that they also reflect a lesser degree of Newbigging pottery seems to have extended further preservation of archaeological deposits beneath the to the west than the boundaries of the pottery road surface. This is partly due to modern develop- indicated on 19th-century maps of the town, while ment, and partly due to the geographic situation of Roman remains associated with the vicus survive the burgh, which does not appear to have encouraged in places beneath the road surface of Inveresk Brae. the formation of stratified deposits sealed by wind- However, while archaeological deposits related to blown sand, as in North Berwick, or the anaerobic the medieval burgh were located broadly where preservation conditions prevalent within Perth. 1 2 INTRODUCTION The renewal of water mains within Musselburgh by medieval burgh – was undertaken without an archae- Scottish Water between March 2003 and May 2004 ologist present and thus was largely unrecorded. provided an opportunity for archaeological monitor- The archaeological remains located in the course ing of extensive groundworks within and adjacent of the monitoring fall into two categories. The first is to the medieval core of the burgh, and adjacent to that of deposits or structures that can be related to the vicus of the Roman fort in Inveresk. Headland previously known sites. The new information about Archaeology Ltd was commissioned by Scottish these three sites – the vicus of Inveresk Roman Water’s contractor, Morgan Utilities, to monitor the Fort, the Newbigging pottery and the town mill lade works (Kimber 2004). – is considered first, along with the implications The mains replacement involved both open-cut of future development in their vicinity. The second trenching and smaller interventions in the roads and category of remains – archaeological structures and pavements of large parts of the burgh (illus 1). Guided deposits related to the growth and development of by the area of archaeological potential suggested the burgh – is discussed following this, and consid- by the Scottish Burgh Survey for Musselburgh ered in relation to the development of the burgh (Dennison & Coleman 1996), the monitoring covered from the medieval period. most streets within the town centre. In Inveresk, The final section of this article attempts to explain monitoring was extended outwith this area along the much more fragmentary evidence for medieval Inveresk Village Road and Carberry Road due to and later deposits recorded in Musselburgh, as the close proximity to the road of Scheduled areas compared with the far better preserved sequences including field systems, prehistoric settlement and recorded from similar projects in North Berwick Roman camps (SAMs 3610 & 3611). Archaeological (Dingwall 2004, Dingwall forthcoming), Crail (Lowe monitoring of the renewal works began following the 2001) and Perth (Glendinning 2002). The implica- discovery of a stone culvert on Carberry Road at the tions this comparison has for the preservation of instigation of the East Lothian Council archaeologist, archaeological horizons within Musselburgh and for Biddy Simpson. Most of the open-cut trenching on the methodology of future fieldwork there will then Musselburgh High Street – one of the key areas of the be discussed. 2 Firth of Forth BeechBeach Lane Balcarres Eskside Rd Balcarres 334000 East Goose Green Pl RoRd 335000 673000 673000 Downie Pl Links Str James St Fishers WWynd WWatt's Close New St Lochend Rd Nrth att's Harbour Rd est ynd North High St Rd Sth Rd Rd Sth Rd Eskside WWest East Port South St St St South South Lochend Lochend North High St Linkfield RoRd MillMillhill Hi Kerrs WWyndynd Bridge St Shorthope Hercus Loan St Market St Mercat KillwinningKilwinning StSt Newhailes Rd Rd Rd New Bridge Campie Campie High SSt Cross FisherFisherrow Row est KillwinningKilwinning Pl Musselburgh WWestest Holmes GardGdns Kilwinning Kilwinning Eskside WWest Terr T ve Mansfield Ave err A Mansfield 335000 Mall Ave Mansfield 672500 Old Bridge Rd A A ve venue Olive Bank Station Fire Station Inveravon Rd Rd TerrT Newbigging err InvereskInvereskRd Eskmills Est ls g Eskmil SAM 3267 Inveresk Brae SAM 3285 SAM 1182 SAM 3612 334000 335000 672000 Inveresk VVillage Rd 672000 SAM 3293 SAM 3285 0.00.20.40.60.81.0 illage Ro s Double Dyke Inveresk Carberry RoRd SAM 36136111 SAM 36136111 River Esk 335000 671500 Open cut trenching N SAM 36113611 Pipe bursting/ sliplining only Scheduled Ancient Monument 0 500 m SAM data provided by the RCAHMS dated 061107 © Crown Copyright (RCAHMS) Reproduced using digital 1:1000 data supplied by Scottish Water/Morgan Utilities SAM 3610 with the permission of the Controller of HMSO. © Crown copyright. Headland Archaeology Ltd, licence no AL 100013329 Illus 1 Location of monitored interventions 3 3 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Musselburgh is situated on a raised beach at the 3.2 The medieval period and later mouth of the River Esk. Historically, Musselburgh proper is that part of the town that grew up on Modern-day Musselburgh has origins at least as early the east bank of the Esk, while the settlement on as the 11th century AD, as a possession of Dunfermline the west bank is known as Fisherrow. The small Abbey. The elevated position of the church overlook- and affluent village of Inveresk occupies an area ing Musselburgh – by no means unique for a Scottish of higher ground overlooking Musselburgh from burgh (Mair 1988, 59–60) – may relate to the burgh’s the south, and originally grew up along the road original status. It is possible that a visible display of to the east of St Michael’s parish church. Between the Church’s relationship to the inhabitants was felt Musselburgh and Inveresk lies the area known as desirable by the ecclesiastical authorities. Newbigging, originally a separate hamlet, but now Indirect documentary evidence suggests that Mus- subsumed within Musselburgh. selburgh was granted burghal status in the later 12th century, but the first direct evidence of the special privileges associated with this status dates to the 3.1 Roman Inveresk early 14th century (Dennison & Coleman 1996, 19). As the Scottish state grew through the medieval The first major settlement around Musselburgh period and as its relationship with England waxed and was the Antonine-period Roman fort and vicus at waned, Musselburgh suffered from English military Inveresk. The development of the area around the campaigns and was burnt at least once. The area was parish church, which is in fact situated practically a target of raids during the ‘rough wooing’ and in 1547 in the centre of the fort (Leslie 2002), has thrown the Battle of Pinkie was fought nearby.